'My best friend ditched me because she thought I was in love with her boyfriend'

By As told to Victoria Bright| 11 months ago

Dana and Michelle had been best friends since their early 20s, but their friendship fell apart as Michelle became jealous when Dana got close to her partner.

Michelle got together with her boyfriend Billy two years ago and I didn’t like him much at first but he had such a big personality – he really won me over. Not that it really mattered, I mean, he was my best friend’s boyfriend not mine.

But when I thought I’d see less of Michelle and that she and Billy would prefer to do couple things, she kept inviting me along. So I became the classic “third wheel". It suited me really well at the time as I was single and I loved being with them.

They’d invite me out for dinner and picnics and sometimes ask me to go to the movies with them. I think they felt sorry for me being on my own. Once they even invited me away on a weekend – that’s when things went downhill.

"My best friend ditched me because she thought I was in love with her boyfriend." (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

There was one night when we’d been drinking at the beach holiday house we’d rented for a couple of nights and Michelle was falling asleep on the couch. So Billy carried her to the bedroom. I thought he’d join her, but instead he came back to the couch and we chatted for about two more hours.

Then I fell asleep on the couch and didn’t realise that Billy had also fallen asleep on the floor beside the couch. I thought he was so sweet as he’d put a blanket over me as I slept. It was completely innocent. But in the morning when Michelle got up, she hit the roof. She went into a rage, wanting to know if there was something up between Billy and I.

We both assured her that we were only friends and just enjoy each other’s company. I was really shocked. I thought Michelle would trust me not to try to make a move on her boyfriend. To be honest, I did find Billy quite attractive, but I would never go there – and I never picked up any sign from him that he thought of me as anything but a mate. So Michelle was being pretty paranoid.

We called a truce and Billy drove us home. I thought the drama had ended but I wasn’t really prepared for what happened next.

"I would never go there – and I never picked up any sign from him that he thought of me as anything but a mate." (iStock)

I received a lengthy email from Michelle which was basically ending our friendship. She wrote, “I can no longer trust you around my boyfriend. I wish you all the best but I don’t want you in my life anymore.”

I called her right away and she told me that she’d said all she wanted to say in the email. I tried to explain, once again, that I had no interest in Billy but she hung up on me. I also tried calling Billy and he told me that he agreed that Michelle was overreacting and that he thought she’d calm down and be reasonable soon.

But she didn’t calm down and I only ever heard from her one more time, on my birthday when she sent me a “happy birthday” text.

So, that was how she disappeared from my life after a 13 year friendship.

I've heard from Billy that they’ve broken up and, guess what? He and I are not together because we are just friends.

The result? My ex-best friend dumped me for no reason. I often wonder if she regrets the way she treated me.